Clone Wars: Battle of Ord Ibanna
by lordtrayus
Summary: Dooku has retaken Ord Ibanna for some sinister purpose.Shaak Ti, Plo Koon and Luminara Unduli are sent to free the planet and uncover his plan, fighting Ventress and Bulq. All will be revealed soon! Beginning a new series based on the film and tv series!
1. Chapter 1

**Discaliemr: I do not own Star Wars**

1

**Location: Ord Ibanna, 30.5 months after the Battle of Geonosis**

**Status: Under Separatist Attack!**

The fleet had come out of nowhere. A fleet of six _Lucrehulk _class cruisers, backed up by ten _Munificent _frigates. Landing craft were deployed from the ships, and streaked down to the surface of the planet, while the clone garrison left there by Shaak Ti after her conquest of the planet twenty nine months before took up their positions on the floating cities. Then, a Fanblade fighter landed at the platform of the second city, Tibinapala, having weaved through a torrent of turbolaser fire from major cannons. Then a lithe, bald woman gave an enraged yell, and sprang from her ship, two curved lightsabers in her hands.

It was Asajj Ventress, Count Dooku's best assassin, who had an obsession with Obi Wan Kenobi, as she had been defeated by him too many times. An inhabitant of the planet Rattatak, she was trained in the Jedi arts by Ky Narec, but when he was killed by the warlords of the planet, Ventress fell to the dark side. She then unified her planet, and joined Count Dooku, becoming his Sith apprentice. Since then she had killed many Jedi and had devastated entire worlds.

The clones started to fire on her, but she was already on the move, a snarling cyclone of fury, her crimson lightsabers maiming and hacking any clones that got in her way.

"You are fodder for the false Republic, and for the false Jedi! You are nothing to them!"

She sliced her way through the landing platform defences, and reached the anti air cannons, decapitating the controller and stopping the cannons.

The landing craft started to descend, and they began to settle into the city, that despite having been abandoned years before, now housed thousands of refugees displaced by the war.

She strolled out, smiling evilly as thousands of droids emptied form the landers and spread throughout the city. She took out her comm.

"Ventress to Bulq, what is your situation?"

Sora Bulq, the former lightsaber instructor, had turned sides at the beginning of the war. Since then, he had been part of several plots of Count Dooku, and had recently survived a skirmish with Jedi Master Coleman Kcaj on Bandomeer.

"Very good Ventress. I have taken most of the city , and killed most of the clones. yourself?"

"Same situation. Where is the Master?"

"Assaulting Ibanna City, and he seems to be in the same position."

Ventress smiled. Considering this planet exported essential Tibanna gas, you would think the Republic would defend it better. She had at least expected to find a Jedi.

Her precognition allowed her to save herself before a Trandoshan Jedi attacked, her green blade singing as she attempted to take Ventress out.

"Commander Ventress, your rampage ends here!" she vowed.

Ventress sneered.

"And what makes you think that Jedi? Who are you to challenge me?"

"I am Lissarkh, former Padawan of Master Plo Koon, and I am more than good enough to bring you to justice."

Ventress smiled. This Jedi lizard had been trained by Plo Koon, but wouldn't be any match for him in a lightsaber battle, and was thus no match for Ventress.

The lizard leapt into the air, and Ventress had to go on the defensive. Ventress growled as the lizard's heavy attacks battered at her defences, her blade trying to find any opening in Ventress' technique. Ventress span, her blades knocking the Jedi's away from her as she tried to get away enough to clip her blades together. Lissarkh didn't let her, and kept up her pursuit, and the two duelled around the landing platform, their sabers crashing and letting off ozone. Lissarkh then slammed her blade into Ventress', and if she assassin didn't do something quickly, she'd be minced.

Ventress then had enough, and flipped backward, away from the lizard, and leaping onto a power station. Lissarkh followed, her green blade weaving a defensive shield around her, but Ventress was on the move. The Dark Jedi sprang forward, and crashed her sabers into Lissarkh's, and the scaly Jedi fell to the ground, and tried to get back up.

But she was too late. Ventress swept her blades down, and the Jedi was decapitated.

"Excellent job Ventress." Dooku said as he came out of the shadows.

"Master." she purred.

"I finish at the city and thought I'd come and see where the Jedi had got to. Now, the plan is afoot."

Ventress smiled and followed her Master inside. Their scheme had only just begun.

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**Location: Coruscant, two days later**

**Status: Restive**

Evening had dawned on corsucant. While people who tried to go about their daily lives despite the war were on their way home from work, the Jedi Temple was a flurry of activity. A big Council meeting was going on, and as usual, at least one was late.

Today however, most inexcusably, three were late. The members present by holo, Agen Kolar, Adi Gallia, Kit Fisto and Saesee Tiin were not on Coruscant, and were all in possible danger, aside from Adi.

But, Mace Windu, Oppo Rancisis and Obi Wan Kenobi were all late.

"Were are they? They cant have gotten lost on their way here. They've all lived here long enough." Even Piell, a diminutive, battle scarred Lannikian said.

"They're probably caught in traffic. They had a strategy meeting with the Chancellor." Plo Koon, a Kel Dor said.

The three entered at that moment.

"Sorry we're late. They're digging up again." Obi Wan said as he sat down.

With the Council all present, they could begin at last.

"Well my friends, we have called you here because the Republic faces a grave threat. The Separatists have seized the valuable Tibanna gas refineries on Ord Ibanna." Mace Windu, a bald, black man, said sombrely.

Shaak Ti frowned.

"Ord Ibanna. I thought that wasn't an active front anymore. And what happened to the garrison I left behind?"

Yoda leaned forward.

"Destroyed it was. Also, afraid I am to inform you of the death of Master Lissarkh." Yoda, a small, green, wrinkled creature said.

Plo Koon took a slight jump.

"Lissarkh dead? How? I never felt anything!" he protested.

Ki Adi Mundi, a tall Cerean, frowned.

"You couldn't feel it? Strange. The bonds between Master and Padawan are strong enough so that you should feel their death. Peculiar."

Plo turned sadly to Yoda.

"How?" he asked.

"We have received intelligence that Count Dooku, Commander Ventress and Sora Bulq were all on the planet." Oppo Rancisis, a snake like Thesspian said.

Saesee Tiin, a horned Ikitoch, leaned forward.

"That seems very excessive for just one planet. What are they there for? Surely it doesn't need the three strongest dark siders the Confederacy has? Surely Ventress would be enough."

"You would think so wouldn't you? What's on Ord Ibanna, aside from refugees and Tibanna?" Kit Fisto, a green Nautolan, famous for the Battle of Mon Calamari and for his less than orthodox relationship with Aayla Secura, asked.

Adi Gallia, a human from Corellia wearing a Tholoth headdress, raised a hand.

"So, they're obviously up to something, and we need to find out what it is. But, if those three commanders stay there, it could be a major victory for the Republic if we took them into custody. And we need the Tibanna."

"Agreed. Maybe Grievous has some diabolical plot in mind for the refugees." Agen Kolar, a horn-headed Iridonian suggested.

"Matters it does not. Go after our enemies we shall. Retake Ord Ibanna we wmust, before harms the refugees Dooku does." Yoda said.

Shaak Ti sighed.

"I take it I'm going back?"

Mace smiled.

"Indeed you are."

She growled.

"Oh very well. I'll go and take the retched planet back."

"Master Koon is also going with you." Ki said.

"That's not so bad then." Plo said happily.

She smiled.

"Anyone else, or are two of us enough?"

"Master Luminara will be en route there as soon as her forces all load up on Jebble." Even said.

"Good. We'll take back the planet, find out what Dooku is up to, and be back by tea time." Shaak Ti said.

"And may the Force be with you." Yoda said, as the two council members left, and the others went about their business.

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**Location: Coruscant, Fleet Staging Area Omega**

**Status: Cruisers **_**Fauna**_**, **_**Ingenious **_**and **_**Prevention**_** preparing for lift-off**

"There is more to this than meets the eye my dear." Plo said, as he watched Captain Jag load the last of his 123rd Legion getting onto the _Ingenious_.

"But it would be nice if we could catch those three murderers." Shaak Ti said as she watched her won commander, Cueball, load the last ATTE onto the _Fauna_, which was the flagship of the 81st Legion.

"True. But the fact that they've stayed put is strange. They're up to something. We need to find out what." Plo said.

"Agreed. And we will my friend. And make Ventress pay for Lissarkh." she said, squeezing his hand.

Plo nodded sadly.

"She was a fine Padawan."

"So were mine." she said sadly.

She frequently got in this mood as the anniversary of the death of her second apprentice approached.

"We'll be fine."

She smiled half-heartedly.

"You realise the Temple will be full of rumours about us when we get back?" she asked.

Plo nodded.

"All is risked in war."

They then heard people approaching, and turned to see Palpatine approach with Padme, Bail Organa and Mon Mothma in tow.

"Ah, Masters." Palpatine said happily as he walked up to them.

"Chancellor." Shaak Ti said, taking a note of the four Red Guards following them.

"Where are you off to?" he asked.

"Ord Ibanna. Dooku's taken it again." Plo said tiredly.

"What for?" Padme asked.

"We don't know. We'll ask them that when we get there." Shaak Ti said as Cueball approached.

"He's there? Why?" Mon Mothma asked.

"We don't know. We'll ask him that too." Plo said as Jag came up to them.

"All three ships are ready General Koon." Jag reported.

"Excelent. Well, we're off to Ord Ibanna."

"Good luck Masters. Try and catch Dooku." Padme said.

"And that could perhaps end this war." Bail said.

Palpatine smiled warmly.

"I'm sure you will ring us victory. Good luck to you both. May the Force be with you."

"and you."

The two Jedi then went for their ship.

"He's getting more and more paranoid." Shaak Ti said.

"In these times, we all are." Plo counselled.

Shaak Ti frowned.

"Perhaps."

"We're ready General Ti. But Commander Snake isn't happy about losing a ship."

She snarled.

"Hard lines. That murderer still hasn't been locked up, so he'll suffer every injustice I can think of until he is. Come. We've got a battle to go to."

And with that, the Jedi cruisers lifted off, bound for Ord Ibanna.

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**Location: Jebble**

**Status: 41****st**** Legion departing on cruiser **_**Twilight**_

Luminara smiled at Dice as he approached.

"Everything's loaded General. Where are we bound for?"

"Ord Ibanna. Dooku's taken it again, and we're to aid Masters Ti and Koon in retaking it."

Dice frowned.

"Permission to speak frankly mam?"

"Granted."

"We're down to 60 unit strength. We need re-supplied."

Luminara nodded wearily.

"I know Dice. I've been promised by Master Windu that after we're finished on Ord Ibanna we can return to Coruscant for a while."

"Good. Well, we're only waiting for you General."

Luminara nodded.

"Very well .Take me to Ord Ibanna. And we can leave this frozen wasteland behind."

The _Venator _called _Twilight _then went spaceward, bound for the next battle.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Dooku's captured headquarters**

**Status: Receiving call from Darth Sidious**

"Well Master, who dif they send?" Dooku asked as the hooded man materialised before the three of them.

"Plo Koon and Shaak Ti left from Coruscant not that long ago. Also, it appears as if Luminara Unduli is also on her way to the battle." Sidious said.

"We can take them." Bulq snarled contemptuously.

"Indeed we can." Ventress agreed.

"I can take Shaak Ti, and get her back for the last time we were here. Sora can take Plo Koon, and Ventress can have a rematch with Master Luminara." Dooku said.

Sidious smiled.

"Excellent my friend. Bring about their destruction."

"As you wish."

Sidious vanished.

"Revenge will be ours Master." Ventress purred contentedly.

"Indeed. The plan is afoot. Soon the Council will be defenceless against our assault."

Then Dooku smiled evilly.

**Hello! **

**A new story, which I was inspired to write after seeing Clone Wars the other day. Ahsoka's cool!**

**This is the first chapter of this story, but theres a load of other stoires I'm thinking of wiring, involving several differnt people, so theyll all be different stories, and at differnt times throughtout the war. Some include: Even Piell, Kit Fisto, Anakin and Ahsoka, Obi Wan and Siri, Coleman Kcaj and others!**

**These stories also tie into my Dark Times story, which I havent forogtten about, I promise, I'm just finishing Digimon first. So you may see some people you know from y Dark Times stories too!**

**I promise to update this as soon as possible, and dont fear, Shaak Ti isnt in all the stories(such lies going around the internet that she dies in Force Unleashed. If Boba Fett can survive a sarlaac, and Alpha can survive a lightsaber in the chest, so can she!)**

**But this is my first Clone Wars story, so until I update or stick up a new story, please read and review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars**

2

**Location: Cruiser **_**Fauna**_

**Status: En route to Ord Ibanna**

Shaak Ti frowned as she read the reports. It made no sense. Why would three of the main Separatist commanders bother taking such an insignificant planet, and then stay there?

Cueball came up to her.

"General Ti, we're ready. Latest reports indicate at least three _Munificent_s in orbit around the planet."

She pursed her lips.

"We need to be ready to fight then. Get all pilots to their ships. Also, prepare the ground troopers for planetary assault. We're going in hard and fast. Master Koon will lead the space battle, while I go and lead the first wave. We will hopefully be reinforced my Master Luminara as well. Prepare for battle!" she ordered.

"Yes General." Cueball said, threw her a sharp salute, and went to carry out his orders.

Shaak Ti went to her quarters and opened her closet. She pulled on her metal greaves, made of ultrachrome which she had received from a grateful village several years ago. She put on her shin guards, also made of ultrachrome. These shields would stop a lightsaber strike. This was due to the unfortunate habit Jedi had of getting limbs lopped off.

She pulled on her armour plates, and then went to join Cueball in the hangar.

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**Location: Cruiser **_**Twilight**_

**Status: En route to Ord Ibanna**

Luminara frowned as she read Intel's survey of her new battleground. Thee cruisers in orbit could defeat her cruiser. And they had very few fighters to protect themselves either.

"It'll be tough General. We only have five squadrons left." Dice said quietly.

She sighed, and braced herself.

"Here we go." she said sadly.

Her cruiser shot out of lgithspeed, its arrow shape cutting through space as it slowed down dramatically. Torrent fighters and ARC 170s sped from the hangars as they opened up. Ahead, the three enemy cruisers were turning to face their opponent, vulture droids and tri-fighters wailing towards them.

"All hands to battle stations. Power to shields and engines. We need to get to the planet. We cant face these cruisers." Luminara said.

"Yes we can General." Dice said happily.

"How?"

He pointed as three more _Venator _class Destroyers shot out lightspeed, fighters spilling from their own hangars.

"Signal the _Fauna_. Ask Master Ti if she wants us to deploy our forces in the assault." she ordered.

Luminara smiled as a blue Delta-7 blazed past the window.

"Master Koon is leading the space attack. Let's go." Luminara ordered.

The four cruisers opened fire with their turbolaser cannons, blasting holes in the three cruisers.

"Get everyone to the gunships. We have a planet to retake." Luminara said.

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**Location: Plo Koon's Starfighter**

**Status: Busy**

Plo rolled his ship away from the laser blasts of a pursuing vulture. He fired with his cannons, shredding the droids wing mate, then reversed, firing as he went to take out the pursuer. He rolled his ship through a loop, coming out to observe the battle.

Hundreds of gunships and landing craft were streaking from the four cruisers, while the cruisers themselves pummelled away at the shields of the Separatist cruisers.

"General? Orders?" Jag, his wingman, asked.

"All V-wings and Arcs are to follow me. All other ships, keep the enemy off of us." he ordered.

The _Ingenious _was having some trouble with one of the cruisers.

"All craft, prepare missile fire. We take out the bridge and the shields will go down." he said.

The fighters sped towards the cruiser, and Plo was counting down in his head.

"Get ready!" he called.

Turbolaser fire filled the space around them, as hordes of droid fighters came hurtling at them.

"Now!" he ordered.

Hundreds of missiles shot from the fighters, crashing into the bridge of the lead _Munificent_. With a massive explosion, the bridge was ripped to shreds. The shields collapsed, and the _Venator _blasted away at the ship with impunity, the cruiser suddenly splitting apart in several locations.

"Excellent. All forces, deal with the fighters." Plo ordered.

He and his two ARC wingmen sped at the cluster of tri-fighters that was swarming around the _Fauna_. Laser fire blew through three of them that Plo aimed at.

"I have one on my tail!" Jag cried.

Plo shunted his power to the brakes, and allowed Jag and his pursuit to overfly him. He then gunned the engines and fired, lasers pounding. The bug like fighter was ripped apart, and Jag rolled his ship calmly away from the trouble.

"Thanks General."

"Quite alright Captain." he said.

The battle was going well. Most of the gunships had escaped immediate danger, and the three prongs of the attack were descending through the atmosphere, bound for three of the cities on the planet.

One enemy cruiser was dead, and the _Twilight _and the _Prevention_ were making short work of another. The last cruiser was trying to escape, but they had to deal with the _Fauna _first.

"Jag, take command up here. I'm going to the planet to lead the assault." he said.

"Yes General."

Plo gave a satisfied nod, then gunned down for the planet.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Annaita**

**Status: Under attack by the 81****st**** Legion**

Shaak Ti braced herself as her gunship landed. The battle was already in full force, as several gunships had just landed. Clones were spilling out and they were already taking fire from a line of battle droids.

"Here we go. Follow my lead." she said to her troops.

She leapt out of the hold as the doors opened, her blue lightsaber blocking bolts and sending them back to their owners.

Around them, the city of Annaita burned. What was one a massive, four leaf clover shape with elegant spire like structure on it, was now a warzone. Holes had been blasted in the towers, smoke was rising from several buildings. Droids had taken up defensive positions in the streets, with tanks in plazas and squares, blasting at approaching forces. Clones were rushing headlong into battle, dying before they got far, due to two massive blaster cannons that had been set up flanking the bridge to the landing pads. As clones rushed across, it took one blast from the droids manning them to kill them.

"We need to take down those cannons." Shaak Ti said as she cleaved a Super Battle Droid in half.

"Agreed General But how do we get there?"

"Leave it to me." she said, narrowing her eyes.

Leaving Cueball and his green and yellow clad troopers behind her, she used the Force to augment her speed, dashing right through the clone ranks before her and rushing headlong into the droid ranks. Her lightsaber decapitated three battle droids as she cut through them, Force pushing several more out of the way and leaving the path to the cannon clear. Gathering the Force, she sprang across to the cannon, cleaving another SBD in half as she landed. Two more came rushing at her, and she jumped over one, allowing the other's blasters to bring it down. She then threw her saber through the top of the droid, crashing it to the floor. Battle droids arrived from around the corner, their rifles blazing. Shaak Ti deflected several of the shots back, and then flattened the rest with a Force push. She dashed around the corner to the foot of the cannon controls, where three SBDs were guarding an ordinary battle droid who was blasting her troops to bits. She rushed at them, her blade stabbing through the vulnerable midsection of one droid, and then using it as a shield as the other two droids opened fire. She blasted the dead droid, sending it crashing into the next one up. While that droid struggled to get up, Shaak Ti sprang at the third droid, she cleaved it in half, and then in half again.

She then backflipped to deal with the newly recovered droid. She cleaved it apart from shoulder to waist, and it collapsed to the floor.

The battle droid that was manning the gun was still shooting away at her clones. He then heard her saber behind him.

"Oh nuts. I knew I should have got my servos checked before I took this job." he moaned.

Her saber then cut through him, and she unceremoniously shoved him out of the seat.

"Damn droids. How can they sit like this?" she asked grumpily, her legs up to her montrals.

She quickly changed the target to the other cannon, and with a satisfied grin, pulled the trigger. The other cannon blew apart, and Shaak Ti turned her cannon to the droid defensive line, and stuck it on autofire. Getting out of the chair and stretching she grinned. With that happening, the droids would be hard pressed to deal with the clones and the cannon.

Exiting the cannon bunker, she leapt over to the front line, where Cueball was leading the 81st Legion in the offensive.

"I'm back Commander." she said.

"Welcome back General. I've ordered a couple of ATRTs to help break their line. But you're tick with the cannon seems to be doing the trick." he said as he fired at an approaching Dwarf Spider Droid.

"Send some men to take control of the cannon. And let us see about breaking the enemy lines." she said, raising her saber.

She then leapt forward, blade humming, and proceeded to wreck the droids.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Gasori**

**Status: Under attack by the 41****st**** Legion**

Luminara frowned as she led her forces off of the main bridge separating the west side of the city to the east side. They had encountered very little resistance so far, and she was getting worried. The place was meant to be swarming with droids. So far they'd only encountered a couple of patrols.

"Um, General, we've found the droids." Dice said grumpily.

Luminara frowned as a massive droid army materialised through the Tibanna gas in front of them. Behind the lines of droids was a team of three AATs, and behind them, two Hailfires.

"They'll rip us apart!" Dice cried as the droids opened fire.

"Leave them to me." Luminara said.

Her green blade igniting, she bolted at them, slipping through the interloping fields of fire. It was at times like this that she most missed her Padawan, who had become a Jedi Knight was now had a Padawan of her own.

"Barriss, its times like this that I need you to cover my back." she complained bitterly.

Landing in the front lines of the droid army, she cut down three battle droids with a wide swing of her lightsaber. As the droids turned to face this new threat and opened fire, Luminara leapt upwards, allowing the blaster fire to take out several of the droid soldiers.

She landed on top of an AAT, which was firing cannon shells at her troops. With a swing, the cannon came bouncing down. Force pushing herself off of the tank, she smiled with satisfaction as it tried to fire again and was blown up. As droids scattered before it, Luminara descended, her skirt billowing around her. She landed on top of the next tank, and cut open a hole in the top.

"What? Where did she come from?" the droid asked in shock.

Luminara grasped it in a Force grip and threw it out of the way. She entered the tank, disabled the two remaining droids servometers and then took control of the tanks weapon, firing it at the droids in front of her.

Legs, arms and other shrapnel scattered everywhere, and Luminara gunned the tank's engines, crushing several droids in the line that had came to investigate. Luminara sprang out of the tank, and landed on the last one.

The droids were onto her now however, and were firing everything they had at her. Luminara deflected several of the blasts, immersing herself in her Soresu sword play, sending bolts ricocheting in all directions, as she defended herself on top of the tank.

Her clones were gaining ground, but so were the Hailfires. If they got into position, they would fire and it would be a massacre. So, she had to stop this game and deal with them before anything else happened.

She flipped over the back of the tank, and with a swift uppercut, disabled the tanks repulsors. The tank crashed to the ground, but continued to move, cutting deep grooves in the pathway as it trampled any droid foolish enough to get in it's way. It then reached the barricade preventing anyone from jumping to their deaths, and travelled over it. Luminara heard one of the pilots scream in terror as the tank plummeted to its doom in the centre of the planet.

The Hailfires were nearly in position. Luminara had several moments, before the droids were on her, and the new tanks fired. So, she used the Force to pull herself to the droid as fast as she dared. As she hurtled through the air, blaster bolts flashing around her, she remembered something Barriss had once said when she had explained gravity to her as a Padawan.

"_Gravity stinks_' she had said irritably.

Luminara thus allowed herself to fall to the ground a bit before the tank, or she'd be splattered on the things massive wheels. Luminara then span at the droid, hacking into the droids wheel with her saber.

While not going fast enough for it to cause any major damage, the damaged wheel did cause more harm than it was worth. The droid went careening off to the right, barely missing the other tank. Luminara threw her lightsaber at the droid, and it cut through the command nodule in the centre, and the droid fell still.

Smiling, she looked at the other droid, and in a second, knew she was too late. The droid fired.

Thirty missiles were now streaking towards her troops.

"Oh no." she whispered.

Reaching out with the Force, Luminara took command of all the missiles that were travelling through the air, bound for her troops. She then pulled them backward, and they crashed into the droid ranks, decimating the defending forces. And the last two crashed into their originator.

Luminara slumped as the Hailfire blew up.

"It's over General. You did well." he said.

She gave a great sigh.

"I'll get my breath back Dice, then join you again."

Dice nodded, and led his troops onward. Luminara closed her eyes and dozed. She was exhausted.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Methana**

**Status: Under attack by 123****rd**** Legion**

"General Koon!"

Plo looked up as he got out of his starfighter. Commander Gaven was hurrying towards him, and he felt anxious in the Force.

"What is it Commander?" Plo asked.

"Sir, we're able to take the city with minimal effort. There are very few droids here. They probably didn't think we'd bother with such a small place. Problem is, we cant get into the city proper. We're in the presence of clever droids sadly. They've mined the bridges. We take anything across, they'll blow them, and this entire landing structure will go down."

Plo tapped his mask thoughtfully.

"So, we cant go over. Perhaps we can go under. Have two fighters buzz underneath the bridge and look for any mines there." he ordered.

While he waited, Plo received positive reports from all locations. The enemy fleet had been neutralised, and the four _Venator_s were taking up blockade positions around the gas giant. The fighters were now free to do as they pleased, and many were coming down and shooting remaining droids, or bringing down escaping droids gunships. Shaak Ti's forces had nearly taken Annaita, and Luminara's had the enemy at Gasori on the run. It was all too easy in Plo's opinion. Something wasn't right, and with Dooku around, it was likely to be very deadly.

"Sir, there are no mines on the underneath of the city."

Plo radiation glee.

"Excellent. We're going under Commander."

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Dooku's headquarters**

**Status: Directing**

"They are taking all three cities." Bulq reported.

"A minor detail. They can have them." Dooku said.

Ventress narrowed her eyes.

"Shaak Ti and Unduli have taken they're cities effectively. We can make things more difficult for Koon though." she said, and seized the comm.

Dooku raised his eyebrow.

"You'll see." she promised.

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**Location: Underside of Methana **

**Status: Being crawled along**

Plo, along with two squads of brave clones, was scaling the underside of the city. They were using suction pad technology that had been invented to scale Separatist warships and take them over by surprise.

"Can we take the droids from behind?" Gaven asked.

"Hopefully. But all we need to do is drop our ion charges and deactivate the mines, and we can bring our troops over." Plo said.

The platform suddenly shook, and the tow ropes attached to the crawlers jarred around.

"What in the name?" Plo asked.

Gaven was listening to someone on his helmet comm. The 123rd were in purple shaded armour. Plo thought it went well with the colour Gaven went in every battle they were in.

"They've landed an ATTE!"

Plo snarled in frustration. The ATTE was the biggest and heaviest walker they had, and it could dislodge them if it started to move. and besides, there wasn't enough room up there for the thing.

"Who authorised that!?" he demanded furiously.

"Seemingly it's new orders from on high. A command vehicle must be deployed as soon as possible."

"On who's orders!?" he demanded.

"The Chancellor's seemingly."

Plo grunted.

"We have a command gunship, and two command posts! Oh, never mind. Let's go."

They steadily advanced, and then Gaven came to a stop.

"General!"

Plo looked up. Three Octuptarra droids, along with four DSDs were approaching.

"Ahh." Plo said sadly.

His blue lightsaber appeared in his hand, and he detached his arm suction pads. He hoped that his leg pads would hold. The clones did the same.

"If you feel dizzy, stick yourself back up!" he ordered, and the droids fired.

Three scarlet beams emitted from the tri-droids. As the clones fired their blasters, Plo caught the first blast on his lightsaber, and deflected it into one of the droids. As the large droid blew apart, the other two tri-droids and the four spiders advanced steadily towards them. Blaster fire was now more accurate as the droids advanced, and two spiders went down, their flaming bodies falling out of sight as they fell from the platform.

Plo frowned as the two tri-droids opened fire with their deadly lasers, and the spiders followed suit. Plo deflected one of the laser bolts from the spiders back at one of their owners. However, he was unable to strop one of the blasts, and three clones fell, never to be seen again. The droids were advancing, and Plo knew that the time had come for desperate measures. If the tri-droids fired now, the rest of his soldiers would die. So, Plo did the unthinkable.

He detached.

Air whistled past him as he flew forward at the droids. One shot and he would never be found. However, today wasn't the day to die. He barely suctioned onto one of the tri-droids legs before he plummeted out of sight forever, and sliced the droid next to him in half. Two left. The clones fired at the spider, and toppled out of sight. Plo trusted the Force, cut the droid he was on apart, and sprang.

The droid toppled, clipping his wire as he went, nearly taking him with it. But his arm suctioned onto the platform, and he pulled himself up, and watched as the droid fell.

"That went well." he said, pleased with himself.

"Yes sir."

"Right, let's go."

Plo then led them to the end of the bridge.

When they arrived, he sent one squad one way and the remains of the other went with him. They leapt up the side, and the clones opened fire from both sides of the city entrance platform, and Plo leapt into the fray amongst the droids, slicing them apart.

"EMP weapons!" he cried.

The clones threw their weapons, and with a large blue electric burst, the mines went inactive.

"Bring in the troops gentlemen." Plo ordered.

The forces that were stationed on the landing arm came stampeding across, and the city was taken within the hour.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Dooku's HQ**

**Status: Calm**

"A minor setback. We don't actually need this world for much longer, by my estimation." Dooku said.

"A valiant effort at trying to kill Plo Koon Ventress." Bulq said.

"Thank you."

Dooku turned to the holo, which materialised into Grievous.

"Ah, General. How goes the battle?"

Grievous laughed.

"The planet is mostly under control. I only have one more city to take, and the battle will be over. What is more, the factories can be immediately turned to our use. They were chock full of resources." he reported.

"Excellent. Keep it up General." Dooku said.

Grievous bowed and disappeared.

"See? No matter what happens here, we have already won." Dooku said with satisfaction.

"Yes my lord. But we shouldn't lie down and make it easy for them." Ventress said maliciously.

"I concur with Ventress. If we do it properly, we can kill two Council members and a famous Jedi Master." Bulq urged.

"Agreed. Prepare for a major offensive in the morning my friends. We will show them that trespassers will not be tolerated."

The two Acolytes bowed, and went about their business.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Methana**

**Status: Liberated**

"Well, the battle is over. But the populace could be a problem later my friends. They have a look on their faces that I translate as 'what now?'." Plo said.

Shaak Ti frowned through the holo.

"I'm getting much the same impression. We need to liberate the world as quickly as possible." she said.

"For now, let us deal with the wounded and the populace. We can attack in the morning." Luminara said.

"Agreed. Did you hear about the new regulations? We have to have an ATTE on the field at all times now seemingly." Plo muttered angrily.

"Yes, I heard what happened. We can deal with it when we get back to Coruscant. It's madness. It could jeopardise an entire operation." Luminara said angrily.

"Indeed. It nearly sent me hurtling to my death." Plo grumbled.

Shaak Ti sighed.

"Yet another injustice of this war. We shall deal with it later. I'm sorry Plo, but I have wounded who may need my care. Your city is the smallest, and thus easiest for us to defend. That will be our main command post. We shall join you there when we're done." she said, and vanished.

Luminara smiled at him as she too left.

Plo turned to Gaven.

"Well, if we're to be the main command post, we better clean up. They'll moan incessantly if they break a fingernail on a piece of shrapnel." Plo said, and they went to tidy up the city.

**The battle has begun!**

**Sorry it took so long, but I couldnt figure out what came next.**

**The battle is joined now. What insidious plot has Count Dooku got in the works? What world has General Grievous taken? Will the Separatist offensive succeed?**

**I hope you find out soon!**

**Until I update, please read, review and vote in the poll, as that will decide what story I go onto next after this one is finished!**

**Bye for now!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars**

3

**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Methana**

**Status: Quiet**

"The first three cities have been taken, and we plan to launch an assault in the morning." Plo reported.

They were in the governmental centre of Methana, and they were reporting to a Reconciliation Council composed of Adi Gallia, Oppo Rancisis and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Excellent work my friends." Oppo said, nodding happily.

"How were the losses?" Obi Wan asked.

"Not as bad as they could have been. It's almost as if they want us to take back the planet." Luminara said worriedly.

"Count Dooku is clearly up to something. Be wary." Adi said.

They nodded. Shaak Ti sighed.

"Oh, and who's clever idea was it to deploy an ATTE into every battle?" she asked waspishly.

Adi sighed.

"Don't you three start. We've just had Bultar Swan, Serra Keto and Agen Kolar bite our heads off about that." she grunted.

"Well no wonder! It's an operational risk! What happens if it's a stealth mission? Do they stick one down and hope it isn't spotted?" Luminara raged.

Oppo raised his hands in defeat.

"We're just the messengers, however, we're sending out orders too all new missions that they should be wary of that problem. I take it it upset your plans a trifle?"

"A trifle!? It nearly upset the whole Christmas dinner! I could have been sent falling to my death!" Plo shouted hysterically.

The three on Coruscant chuckled.

"Its not funny!" Plo said pleadingly, but to no avail, as Luminara and Shaak Ti were both laughing too.

"Oh what's the point?" Plo moaned.

"We shouldn't take long. We'll attack Dooku's base the day after tomorrow I think, kick his ass, and be done with it." Shaak Ti said.

"Good. Be careful. As soon as you figure out what's going on, report to us." Obi Wan said.

Before they could respond, an alarm blared.

"What's happening?" Plo demanded as Jag ran in with Dice, Cueball and Gaven.

"We're under attack sir!"

"Balls." Shaak Ti said, waving to the holos and rushing outside, saber lit.

"Toodleoo the noo." Luminara said, following suit.

"Have fun." Adi wished, and they vanished.

Plo sighed and lit his own saber.

"Here I go again."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Methana**

**Status: Under Separatist Attack!**

The three Jedi rushed out to see the clones getting defensive positions set up.

"Get the fighters in the air! Jag, you have command!" Plo ordered, and Jag dashed off.

Torrent fighters, ARC 170s, V-Wings and gunships shot into the air to meet the oncoming black cloud of Separatist forces. Heavy weapons, mines and bombs were being primed in preparation for the assault.

"Plo, take left. I will take centre. Luminara, take right. We'll converge in the middle of the city and hold there." Shaak Ti said, before running off with Cueball.

Shaak Ti frowned as the black swarm of Separatist forces landed on the other side of Methana, their cannons making short work of the defenders they had there. Vulture fighters, Tri-fighters, droid gunships, Belabulbs and Geonosian fighters sped across the city, their cannons blasting away at the approaching Republic air forces. Shrapnel was blown from several buildings as shots went off target and fires erupted all over the place.

"Prepare for battle!" she ordered to the contingent of the 81st that was on Methana.

Several droid gunships had settled down on the platforms at the other side, and masses of droids were deploying from inside.

Then the enemy charged, and the fight was on.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Methana, right flank**

**Status: Under attack**

Luminara frowned as the droids charged. The battle was already not going well, as many ships had been parked on the opposite side of the city, and had been destroyed during the enemy landing. Many troops had also been killed, and now the droids were on the move.

"Here we go!" she yelled to the 41st.

"We're with you General." Dice said.

"Attack!" she ordered.

They charged forward, and one side of the massive droid legion broke off to meet them. SBDs opened fire with their rocket launchers, and battle droids took up positions at the front, as DSDs came from behind.

"Scatter!" Luminara barked as the missiles from the SBDs crashed into two of the clones at the front of her formation.

She dashed forward, her lightsaber deflecting cannon bolts back at their droid originators.

"General, rollers!"

Three destroyer droids were rolling towards them, and more and more battle droids and SBDs were approaching.

"Dice, we need covering fire! Blanket pattern!" Luminara yelled.

"General, you'll be caught in the middle of it!" Dice protested.

"Do it Commander!" she barked.

The clones fired, their blue laser bolts emitting from their blasters as Luminara was in the centre of the interlocking fields of fire, caught between the clones and the destroyer droids. Taking a deep breath, she lit her lightsaber, and immersed herself in Soresu.

Her blade was a cyclone of green brilliance as she caught bolts on her lightsaber. The clone fire was surrounding her, as was the droid fire. Her lightsaber deflected hundreds of laser bolts in seconds, keeping bolts away from the clones and sending many into the shielded destroyers. She was in the centre of the storm, her lightsaber sending lasers into the shielded destroyers, chipping away at their strength. The bolts she missed either passed harmlessly over her or shot through her skirt. After two minutes of this exercise, she saw it.

A shield was flickering on one of the droids. Leaping high at the droid, the clones poured fire into it, making the shield fizzle out. She landed and cleaved the droid in half and then blasted it with a Force push into the next one in line. The droid staggered, which was the opening she needed. The shield flickered under the concentrated fire of her clones, and she plunged her lightsaber through the hole in the shield and fused the droid's circuits. She then seized the other droid with the Force and threw it off the city.

"That was amazing General!" Dice exclaimed, coming up to her.

"Quiet commander. I sense…"

A Porax fighter, as flown by Grievous' MagnaGuards, shot up from over the city, firing a missile.

"Duck and cover!" she yelled.

The missile hit before she could do anything, and several clones were incinerated, while others were thrown to the floor by the shockwave. Luminara had set up a Force shield and rode out the storm, and then gathered the Force to her and sprang. She barely grabbed onto the blaster cannon, as the fighter swung around for another pass.

Built on the planet Utapau in the Outer Rim, the Confederacy had duplicated the plans and had set shipyards with the task of building enough for the MagnaGuards to use, who were the highest ranking droids in the Confederacy aside form Grievous himself. They used these as a personal conveyance when they took command of droid armies in various locations, and they were also used to inspire fear whenever Grievous appeared in his own fighter, flanked by a squadron of these. Powerful fighters, they were not to be underestimated.

Luminara struggled up onto the wing and looked down to see her dazed troops being approached by a horde of SBDs and battle droids, supported by two DSDs. The only chance for her troops was to stop the droids before they fired. But if she went after the droids, the fighter would finish them off.

Unless…

She lit her lightsaber, and hoped to the Force that she was strong enough to do what she planned. With the wind threatening to blow her off the fighter, she slowly crawled to the cockpit, where the MagnaGuard pilot looked at her, its red eyes glowing brightly. She used the Force to wrench the cockpit open, and dug her lightsaber through the droid's head. The fighter immediately dipped without a pilot, as she had planned. But she needed it to crash into the approaching battle droids, or her troops would be slaughtered. Unable to lift the droid in the cockpit, she stretched out with the Force, enveloping the ship in a Force grip. She pulled it upwards, and sent it hurtling at the droid troops. But it wouldn't be enough, as it would only wipe out a fraction of them. What she needed was for the fighter to explode…

She swung her lightsaber, and the wing of the fighter fell off, crashing down to the city, landing right on top of a building. Fuel was leaking out, and the craft was beginning to spin. Counting down, and holding on for dear life, she gave a great sigh to steel herself, and leapt, at the same time as swinging her saber at the stream of fuel. The fuel ignited, and the fire shot up the stream, as Luminara crashed into the window of a building, crashing through and rolling across the floor, before smashing through another window and falling to the ground. Weakened, she lifted her head to see the Starfighter slam to the ground and blow apart, scattering the droids around the platform, before fading to blackness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Methana, central arm**

**Status: Under attack**

Shaak Ti frowned as she felt Luminara faint from exhaustion. Her friend had made a fine mess of the right flank, but without Luminara, she was scared the troops would give way and she'd be facing a two way battle.

"Dice, get General Unduli out of harms way and split your troops between the buildings! Mine the alleys if you have to! I don't want them getting to us!" she yelled over the din of battle.

"Acknowledged General!"

Shaak Ti used her blue saber to knock a round of blaster fire back at the approaching battle droids. The droid column seemed endless, and she swore as another gunship was shot down by a vulture droid.

"If we don't do something about this soon, we're going to be overrun." she grumbled.

Cueball nodded gravely, and groaned.

"What?" she asked.

She saw. A landing craft was approaching, and if it landed, they wouldn't leave the planet alive.

"Get the fighters after that thing now! All Republic forces, converge in the centre! We shall hold there!" she ordered.

The three clone branches converged in the centre, and started pumping blaster fire into the mass of oncoming droids. Clones were killed around her as the droids advanced. She looked around to see Plo and his group finally arriving.

"Shaak Ti, we cannot hold. The enemy is too many, and that lander is too large for our remaining fighters to take care of." he said sadly.

"We have no choice then. Signal the cruisers, and have them fire ion cannon down on us." she said.

He looked at her in shock.

"You know what that does to the clone's helmets!"

"And to the droids."

"It may fry our brains!"

"There'll be no change there then." she said acidly.

"Generals!"

The lander, irritated by the constant swarming of Torrent fighters and ARC 170s, had fired. Unfortunately for the ground troops, it had missed all of the fighters.

It was flying straight towards the large building they were fighting in the shadow of.

"Brace!" Plo yelled in terror.

The turbolaser blast ripped apart the buildings, sending a torrent of rubble falling towards them.

"Dive for cover!" Shaak Ti screamed, as clones were crushed under chunks of rubble and steel weighing several tons.

Just then a cascade of blue energy rained down from above, the ion bombardment she had asked for. The droids staggered to a halt, and their starfighters fell from the sky as the ion crackle receded.

Shaak Ti struggled to her feet, as did numerous clones.

"We have little time. I will deal with the wounded. Destroy those droids, blow those transports, you know the drill. You two, help me move people to the med centre." she ordered two clones who had just got up.

"General Ti!" Cueball screamed.

Shaak Ti twirled to look at what he was pointing at. The lander had been disabled by the ion barrage, and was now careening out of control towards the city.

"By the Force…" she whispered.

If the lander hit them, the entire city would be destroyed. The cruisers wouldn't get a lock on time, especially as it was accelerating as it entered the gravity field of the city.

"Where is Plo?" she demanded.

She couldn't deflect the thing or bring it down safely without help.

"He's buried under all the rubble General! We'll never get him out in time!" Gaven cried.

"Then nor will we." Jag said resignedly.

Shaak Ti took a deep breath.

"May the Force be with me." she said.

It was the only way. She had to try to deflect it, or it would kill everyone on the city, including those who actually lived there.

She strode out into the uncluttered centre of the field, took a deep breath and stretched out with the Force, determined to save her men, even if it meant her own death.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Coruscant, Reconciliation Council Chamber**

**Status: Calm**

"Thank you for your report Master Kolar." Oppo said to his friend, as he finished his account of the recent Battle of Alzoc, where the Republic had won a great victory, wiping out three battle groups belonging to General Xalma. Agen himself had squared off against the Nightsister, and had barely escaped with his life when her command ship was shelled and she had to retreat to save her own skin.

The four of them were in charge of the Jedi Temple. Yoda was away overseeing the defence of Toydaria, and Mace was on Svivern. Shaak Ti and Plo were both on Ord Ibanna. Even Piell had just departed to discuss an aid effort for a world near the Hapes Cluster with Ta'a Chume. Kit was mopping up a recent droid attack on the base in the Vergesso asteroids, and Saesee was playing with pirates that had been attacking Naboo's trade routes. Finally Ki Adi Mundi was not on the Council, having gone off for dinner somewhere with the visiting Dark Woman. Adi had just returned from a meeting with Nym on Lok, and Obi-Wan was preparing to depart to go to Phindar, where the Separatists had deposed the governor there, and the place had resolved into anarchy, as the Separatists had demanded the planet be turned over to them. He was going to restore order.

Adi sighed.

"Who's next?" she asked.

"Master Bultar Swan, who is going to give us her report on the Battle of Molavar." Agen said as he resumed his seat to Oppo's left.

Obi Wan, on Oppo's right, grunted.

"Well, I'd better go after that, or Cody will be very unhappy with me." he said.

"Quite." Oppo said.

Obi Wan opened his mouth to say something, then his eyes glossed over.

"Obi Wan?" Adi asked in concern.

"Shaak Ti and Plo Koon are in terrible danger!" he exclaimed.

"We must aid them!" Agen said.

"Come my friends, we shall join our minds and give our support to Master Ti." Oppo said.

In conjunction, the four Masters closed their eyes and gave themselves to the Force.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Methana, central square**

**Status: About to be crushed**

Shaak Ti felt her Force grip barely touching the lander. She wasn't strong enough to knock the ship off course. Struggling with all her might, she realised that the ship was bound to crash. She then felt Plo join what little strength he had left.

"Plo, no!" she shouted.

"If we don't stop that thing, we are all dead anyway." he pointed out weakly.

The two of them were little better, but the descending ship was slowing slightly.

Shaak Ti then felt a rush of power enter her.

"_We are here Shaak Ti_." Oppo Rancisis said from distant Coruscant.

"_We shall aid you in this struggle_." Adi said.

The six Council members worked in conjunction, and the lander stopped falling. With a great heave of effort, Shaak Ti directed the power of the six members, and cast the lander away from the city, out of harm's way. She then released her hold on it, and it plummeted to the core of the gas giant. Shaak Ti then collapsed and fell into darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Coruscant, Reconciliation Council Chamber**

**Status: Exhausted**

"Well, that went well." Oppo said sleepily.

"Let's not do that again." Agen said.

Adi was already snoring in her seat, and Obi Wan was dozing.

"Cancel the last appointment Agen." Oppo said, before curling his tail around him and going to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Ord Ibanna, Dooku's HQ**

**Status: Peeved off**

"The plan failed master!" Ventress hissed.

Dooku shook his head.

"A minor detail. I am reliably informed that our ruse is still working. They are still unaware that we have taken the planet. The fact that the Jedi here still live is also useful, as while they are out of action, no one will be paying attention to other events. It also means that we can have some time off while they wait for the Jedi to recuperate. All is going well Ventress. Be at peace."

Sora Bulq steepled his fingers.

"It seems to me my master that we can still turn the tide of this battle. The Jedi will counterattack soon, before they come here. When they do, we can crush them."

"What, let them attack us here?" Ventress asked.

"Quite. A fine plan Sora Bulq. Lure them into a false sense of security, and then…we crush them once and for all." Dooku purred.

**The battle is afoot!**

**Not long left now. Two chapters left I reckon, and that's the end of this story! But plenty more where they came from.**

**What world have the Confederact taken? How will Dooku crush Master Ti and Koon's army? The final battle is approaching!**

**Please read and review, and above all vote on the poll. And if you have already, vote again!**

**Right, I might go and start the next chapter of Dark Times, or maybe KOTOR, I'll see.**

**Oh, and I would appreciate any thoughts on how I should wirte Ahsoka and Anakin's relationship for when they show up in other stories. Bombad Jedi and Cloak of Darkness are still the best episodes!**

**Please read, review and VOTE! Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars**

4

**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Methana**

**Status: Recovering**

Shaak Ti awoke. Around her, clones were milling about, showing signs of the recent battle.

"Cueball." she called.

Cueball trotted over.

"General, you did it. You got rid of the lander." he said happily.

She smiled.

"Excellent. Where are Plo and Luminara?"

"General Unduli has been up for a while and is helping the wounded. General Koon is still in the bacta tank." he reported.

She nodded, and went to find Plo. On her way, she used the Force to do some healing on a couple of wounded clones, and eased one's passing into death.

She eventually found Plo, and he was just being taken out of the bacta tank.

"Ah, hello my dear." he said.

"Plo. I'm glad to see you're alright." she said, kissing his forehead.

"How did we do?"

"We won. The Seps were repelled, and the clones saved our skin again." she said, sitting down beside him.

Plo nodded, then brooded.

"What's wrong?"

Plo got up, and ignored Shaak Ti's disapproving glance as he took her away from the clones and his bed.

"What?"

Plo tapped his mask in thought.

"The clones are excellent. But they were bred for war. What happens when this war ends? What do we do with them then?"

Shaak Ti sighed.

"Plo, that argument has been raging in the Council chamber since Geonosis. If Mace and Yoda get their way, they'll be used to keep the peace. If we get our way they will live out their lives in peace. Especially, if Etain Tur Mukans group has anything to do with it."

"Agreed. However, many clones are our friends. We send them to their deaths, we heal them, we talk and laugh with them. They are a slave army my dear."

She nodded sadly.

"Believe me darling, the situation doesn't sit well with me either. But for now, while Yoda and Palpatine are anxious to destroy the Separatists, we have to keep using them."

Plo nodded gravely.

"Our security lies in the fact that they obey us. If not, I dread to think what would happen."

Shaak Ti frowned. She'd had the same thoughts.

"Plo, the situation of the clones being bred for war, that they're a slave army, and that we don't know if they will support us are questions that have been spreading for ages. We will teach them peace when we have peace. Until then, as we cant affect any Council policies, we must do as Yoda tells us to do." she said bitterly.

Plo was shocked. Shaak Ti normally would have rebelled over this.

"I know Plo. And don't worry. I'm not being tamed. For now, we must prepare for battle, and sadly, keep using the clones for what they were bred for. When we finally have peace, things will change. I promise."

Plo nodded, and they walked back into the ward.

"What bothers me is that a Jedi ordered their creation. How could a Jedi order the creation of an army of slaves?" Plo mused despairingly.

Shaak Ti frowned.

"That isn't what worries me. What worries me is the fact that we don't know if Syfo-Dyas really _did _order this army." she said gravely.

Plo looked at her in concern, and they got to work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Methana, war room**

**Status: Planning**

"They caught us with our trousers down, theres no doubt about that." Luminara said gravely.

"So, we shall catch them with theirs down. We'll bite back where it hurts the most. A massive offensive on the next three cities will cut Dooku's HQ off from all possible support." Plo said.

Gaven nodded gravely. A stern clone, he was Plo's ground commander.

"Sir, what happens if they attack here when we go after them?"

Shaak Ti sighed.

"We cant afford to linger here much longer, or this will turn into a stalemate, and whatever Dooku is up to will occur unopposed. If that happens, we will attack his HQ anyway." she said.

Luminara studied the hologram.

"I will take my forces and attack Distilla. Shaak Ti, if you attack Synthes, that leaves Plo with Vapouris. Agreed?" she asked.

The other two Jedi nodded.

"Prepare the troops for battle. We take those cities, and then we shall attack Dooku's HQ and end this battle." Plo said.

The clones nodded their assent and carried out their orders.

"It seems to me that Dooku, if he is forced to leave the planet, will skedaddle with as much Tibanna as possible." Luminara said slowly.

Plo looked at her in surprise.

"You're suggesting we hit the Tibanna refineries?" he asked.

"Look at it realistically. He'll already have troops there, and we cant retake them. We may as well destroy them."

Plo nodded.

"Indeed. May the Force be with us." Plo said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Distilla**

**Status: Under attack**

Gunships streaked across the airspace of the city. Luminara's 41st Elite was landing all over the city, their blaster rifles firing. Luminara braced herself as her gunship shot through a concentrated zone of blaster fire and sped into the centre of the town square, where heavy cannons were pumping cannon fire at her troops. She nodded to her team of jet troopers, and they leapt from the gunship, which was destroyed behind them. They shot over the gap to the bridge between the two admin buildings.

"Right boys, lets get to it. Whoever's in command of this damn city is at the top of the admin spire." she said, lighting her saber.

She plunged her saber into the lock on the door and it whirled open to reveal a room full of SBDs.

"Oh crap." Luminara cursed, and the droids opened fire.

Deflecting their fire, she slowly entered the room, with her troops firing behind her. Droids dropped all over the place, smoking from their midsection. Luminara gathered the Force to her and let loose a massive wave that sent the droids tumbling. The rest of the fight lasted only seconds.

"Come on." she ordered.

They sped up the ramp leading to the control room, and Luminara entered, lightsaber singing.

"A Jedi! Get her!" a tactical droid ordered.

Tactical droids were used as group commanders on the battlefield when there were no MagnaGuards. The only problem was that they would always try to delete all their data before they could be captured. Luminara had little time. She shot forward, using the Force to augment herself, and whirled her saber around to cleave the droids head before it could react. The other battle droids then responded, opening fire. Luminara simply threw her lightsaber in a wide arc and they were done.

"Good. Get a slicer on the droid immediately." she ordered.

Dice nodded and vanished.

"General Unduli, the battle is nearly over. We have taken the city." another troop reported.

"Excellent. Now provided the others did as they were meant to, we'll soon be finished here." she said happily.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Synthes**

**Status: Under attack**

Shaak Ti hissed. Famed for its parks, Synthes was a beautiful, aesthetic city. The trouble was, the damn droids were hiding in the parks, and Shaak Ti's troops were fighting hand to hand to avoid setting the places ablaze.

"I hate it when the droids get clever." she cursed, leaping up into a tree, and then pelting down at a couple of DSDs.

"General, they have an incinerator Droid!"

Shaak Ti cursed. Incinerator droids were Homing Spider droids, attached with massive flamethrowers. Generally used for battles on tropical worlds, to incinerate any troops hiding in foliage.

"Get the troops away from it! I will deal with it!" she barked.

The droid was lumbering into view. It was massive, with three flame cannons installed beneath the ball cockpit. Flames then spouted from the cannons.

Shaak Ti immersed herself in the Force, and grasped the fire with the Force, wrapping it in a brilliant cocoon around the droid. The droid then surprised her by trampling through the wall of flame, and Shaak Ti cursed. It's flamethrowers were churning out a load of flames, and Shaak Ti was hard pressed to stop it. She blasted the fire back at the droid, blackening it. However, that wasnt going to stop it. She swore, ad then sprang at the droid, her lightsaber lit in her hand. The droid stepped back to angle its weapons at her, but it was no good. She leapt atop the droid and cut off the receiver dish. She then nicked the supporting cables for two of the legs of the droid and it collapsed. She flipped off it as it let loose with its fire cannons again. Shaak Ti deflected the stream of flame back at the droid, warming the already stressed heat packets that allowed it to fire relentless fire at its enemies. The heat approached critical mass, and the packets exploded, causing a massive explosion. Shaak Ti acted immediately, wrapping a shield around the droid and levitating it. The fire shield ended, and Shaak Ti sent the smouldering wreckage over the edge of the city.

"There. Droid removals with a minimum of damage and fuss. I should go into business." she mused.

Destroyer droids suddenly appeared, but before they could unravel, a droid bomb went off and they fell to the ground.

"Thanks." she said to Cueball.

"That's alright. Vaporuis and Distilla have both fallen. All we need is for General Koon to deal with an enemy emplacement, and then we can go after Dooku."

She nodded. Her rematch with Dooku was approaching. Best she get ready.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Tibanna refinery 19**

**Status: Under attack**

Plo sent his Starfighter into a steep dive, then pulled up, firing. Two vulture droids that were launching from the refinery were blasted apart, their debris scattering as Plo shot up beside the H shaped factory. He commed Jag.

"Jag, whats our status?"

"They're brining in the old guns sir. A Scarab squadron is coming in, along with two more vulture squadrons. Geonosian fighters are approaching from the west, three squadrons. And the station's launching all its remaining fighters."

Plo cursed. The attack, which was being repeated at the other two stations close to Dooku's HQ, had gone relatively well. They'd taken out the defensive fighters in a few seconds, and had taken down two entire squadrons. Now, they had galvanised and the enemy was getting stronger.

"Intel Squadron, form up on me." Plo ordered.

The ARC 170s sped in at the squadron of Tri-fighters speeding out of the hangar.

"Missiles on my mark. Three…two…one…fire!"

Twenty four missiles shot out at the leaving droids and most of them were destroyed in a fiery ball.

"Sir, they enemy's approaching!" Gall, another pilot yelled.

"Genius Squadron, delay the Scarabs as long as possible while we finish here. Mastermind Squadron, combine with Clever Squadron and hold off the Geos. We'll finish here and join you!" Plo said.

The last of the tri-fighters gone, and the station knowing its doom was imminent, was sending out its last three squadrons.

"Easy." Plo said happily as the fighters appeared.

The first squadron was made of E-STAPs which the fighters ripped into with their heavy cannons. They never stood a chance. The next wave, made up of Belabulbs, also met the same fate and was destroyed with ease. The next was a wave of Advanced Vulture droids. Plo swore in Kel Dor as the ships killed tow of his men.

"General!" Jag cried, and blasted apart a fighter that was getting too accurate.

"Thank you Jag. Now let me repay the favour."

Plo's lasers ripped the droid fighter apart, and he then corkscrewed, firing as he went, destroying many of the remaining fighters. Those that remained were picked off.

"Good. Now, let us help the others." Plo said.

Plo sped towards to those facing the Scarabs and their escorts, while the others all headed to deal with the Geonosian fighters. Genius Squadron was doing rather well at holding the enemy off, and the droids were determined to finish them. That was their downfall, as Plo and Jag arrived they let loose with their cannons, shredding several vultures and their scarab dependents. Several backflipped, but then they were open to attack from behind. Genus Squadron finished them off, and then went to deal with the last of the enemy fighters.

Plo nodded in satisfaction. Now, all they had to do was destroy the refinery. At a kilometre long, in a massive bulky h-shape, with four stationary arms covered in weapons, it wasn't going to be killed by any fighter squadron.

"This is General Koon to the _Ingenious_. Ion barrage is able to commence. The fighters are dealt with. Then, send in the bombers."

An ion cannon shot from his cruiser would disable the shields of the station, and deactivate the guns long enough for the bombers to blast away most of its defences. Then, they would destroy it on their second pass.

A blue laser shot flashed from above, and the station was hit bang on, blue energy crackling across it as the station dipped a little. The Y-Wings, proved in combat with the _Malevolence_ three weeks before, sped in low and let loose a barrage of bombs. Fire and gas vented from hundreds of holes as the Y-Wings turned themselves back around for their second pass.

"General, I'm getting strange energy readings from the refinery." Jag said in concern.

"I see them too captain." Plo said worriedly.

The refinery suddenly sprang back into life and opened fire.

"Bombers, evasive manoeuvres!" Plo barked.

"General!" Jag screamed.

The reason for the quick restart of the wounded station was revealed, as a large ship emerged form its gargantuan hangar.

"How the devil did they get a _Munificent_ in there!?" Gall asked.

"Never mind that! Y-Wings, get out of there!"

The remaining squadron and a half of the bombers broke away from the active station and its frigate defender.

"All fighters, regroup! Come together!"

"Sir, its too large, and we lost a quarter of our bombers. We cant take it." Jag warned.

"I'm aware of that Captain. But we must stay in one piece until help arrives." he said.

The Republic fighters all came together, and then immediately scattered as heavy turbolaser blasts from the station and the frigate pierced the sky around them.

"Shaak Ti! Luminara! I could use some help! Some damn fool has put a frigate in the station, and now they're both shooting at me!" he yelled.

"I'm on my way." Shaak Ti responded.

Plo then signalled the _Ingenious _to ask it to come into the atmosphere and help deal with the frigate.

"Please hurry." Plo said, as the frigate began disgorging its own fighters.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Synthes**

**Status: Liberated**

"Cueball, deal with the clear up! All gunships, get into the air and lets help Master Koon!" she yelled.

The thirty gunships shed used sped away from the city, bound for Plo's battle. Shaak Ti leapt into her fighter.

"Don't die on me Plo. Please." she said, and gunned her engines.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Tibanna Refinery 19**

**Status: Defending**

Plo cursed as the frigate's two extra squadrons kept the fighters off balance. As they had to keep evading to make sure they weren't incinerated by the frigate and the stations heavy turbolasers, they couldn't respond adequately to the fighter threat.

"Shaak Ti, ETA?" he asked worriedly as a shot just missed him.

"Two minutes." she said, concern colouring her voice.

"Commander Wolffe?" Plo asked.

"The same sir."

"We may not live that long." Plo grumbled.

The frigate and the station were firing away, determined to smite down the Republic fighters.

"All fighters, pull outside of their range, and then we can deal with their fighters." Plo commanded.

They did so, and turned, but before they could fire, Jag let out a shriek of alarm.

"General Koon!" he yelled in terror.

Plo saw it. One word summed it up nicely.

"BUGGER!" he shouted.

Another _Munificent_ had shot up from below them, and was firing and letting loose fighters.

"We're here."

Shaak Ti's fighter appeared from the clouds, followed by thirty gunships.

"Where did you learn to count? There's two frigates!" Shaak Ti bellowed.

"I know I know!"

"Plo, do you require help?" Luminara asked.

"Not anymore." he said happily.

The _Ingenious _had arrived, it's red striped dagger structure piercing through the clouds. The first frigate and the station turned to face it, leaving the fighters and the gunships to deal with the second one.

"Gunships, sue your point-defence systems to keep the fighters off of us! All forces, prepare for a bombing run!" Plo ordered.

They sped at the frigate, which opened fire. Fighters blasted apart around them, but still they headed for the frigate.

"Fire!" Plo said.

Missiles streaked from the attackers and slammed into the frigate. Fireballs erupted across the ship, and its turbolasers overloaded as missiles slammed into them. The stresses ripped the ship apart and it died it's fiery death.

"Finish these fighters!" Plo ordered.

The Sep fighters, thrown by the new arrivals, were already badly beaten, and died after a few seconds. Ahead, the _Ingenious _was pummelling the frigate. Atmosphere ignited as holes were blown through across the ship. Droids were sucked out as the ship started to dip.

"Concentrate a missile barrage on that frigate!" Plo demanded.

Another wave of missiles hit the falling ship, and with that final hit, the ship broke into five separate pieces and was gone. The Destroyer then turned its considerable firepower onto the station, blasting it with both ion and turbolaser shots. With a flicker, the station erupted.

"Than you everyone. I believe the battles are over?" Plo asked.

"Indeed. Excellent job everyone. We've just left Dooku wide open." Shaak Ti said happily.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Dooku's HQ**

**Status: Infuriated**

"It failed!" Bulq spat in rage, slamming his fist.

"Calm my friend. It doesn't matter that much. True, the loss of the two ships is annoying, but that's about it." Dooku said.

"Well, what now?" Ventress asked.

"Now? Now, we secure their destruction." Dooku said with a smile, and entered a holo code.

The burly, bearded form of Tol Skorr appeared. He was a couple of systems away, leading the subjugation of a moon from his lander, the _Doomladen_.

"Skorr." Dooku greeted.

"Master!"

"Bring your task force to Ord Ibanna. We will crush Shaak Ti and hr allies." Dooku said.

"As you wish." Skorr said, bowing and vanishing.

Ventress smiled at Dooku.

"Don't worry. They will not escape this time."

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**Location: Coruscant, Oppo Rancisis' private quarters**

**Status: Worried**

Oppo surveyed the report that he had just been sent. The news that Grievous had taken such a critical planet, and that they'd been unaware for a week while he converted the factories to churn out endless battle droids was indeed disturbing to the extreme. Even more so was the fact that there were no armies nearby that could liberate the planet. He had only one option. Hope that Ord Ibanna was nearly over, so that Shaak Ti and Plo Koon could deal with it. But, he couldn't contact them.

He would need a courier.

Oppo then found one free army. Nodding, he made the connection.

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**Location: Cruiser **_**Resolute**_

**Status: On patrol**

"General Skywalker?" Admiral Yularen called.

"Yes Admiral?" Anakin asked, turning from the viewport.

"A message from Coruscant sir." the Admiral said.

Anakin beckoned imperiously to Ahsoka, who was talking to Rex.

"Come on Snips."

Ahsoka trotted to her master as Anakin went to the holo displayer.

The snakelike, bearded form of Oppo Rancisis greeted them.

"Master Skywalker." Oppo said.

"Master Rancisis." Anakin said, inclining his head, as did Ahsoka.

Of all the masters on the Council, he was one of the ones Anakin respected the most. While he knew that Oppo had doubts about him, they had a professional respect for each other, and Anakin in particular was in awe of several of the old Jedi's wily tactics. Aside from a few minor altercations, they also got on relatively well.

"And greetings to you too little Ahsoka." Oppo said.

"Greetings master." Ahsoka said, not showing too much familiarity and keeping her place, Anakin thought thankfully.

"Master Skywalker, we face a grave threat. General Grievous has seized a critical world."

Oppo showed him the world, and Anakin blanched.

"How did that happen!?" he demanded furiously.

"We knew they were going to be out of action for quite sometime. They were having a communications revamp. Sadly, the clever souls made the information public. Grievous must have heard, and has since taken the planet."

"How long has he had it?" Ahsoka asked curiously.

Anakin didn't even bother to send her a dirty look for speaking out of turn.

"A week." Oppo said gravely.

"Damn it!" Anakin cursed.

"Exactly. He's apparently reconfigured all the factories to churn out battle droids. And as they were stockpiling, he could have created as many as half a million by now." Oppo continued.

Anakin closed his eyes.

"What are our orders then Master Rancisis?"

"I have little choice. I am reassigning you. You are to head to Ord Ibanna."

"Ord Ibanna? Why?"

"It's currently being retaken by Master Koon, Ti and Unduli. You are to get them to abandon that battlefront, regardless of the situation, report to Halfpoint Station for a quick refit, and then head to your new destination." Oppo said.

Anakin nodded, then frowned.

"What about Master Luminara? She was meant to be allowed a respite."

Oppo nodded gravely.

"I know. You are to replace her. She will find a newly repaired _Tranquillity _awaiting her at Halfpoint though."

Anakin nodded.

"That will keep her happy. Very well Master Rancisis. We'll get underway." Anakin said.

"Very good. May the Force be with you Master Skywalker. We must retake the planet, or the entire war effort could be unhinged."

Anakin nodded gravely.

"We understand master."

"Then farewell." Oppo said, and vanished.

"Master, what…?" Ahsoka asked.

"No time Ahsoka. We need to go to Ord Ibanna. I'll explain the gravity of the situation when we're in lightspeed. Admiral Yularen?"

Yularen's head popped out a crewpit.

"Yes?"

"Recall the sentries, and set your course for the Ord Ibanna system. And get all troops to the gunships Rex."

The two men got to it.

"May the Force help us." Anakin muttered.

Five minutes later, the cruiser was in hyperspace.

**The Battle of Ord Ibanna is nearly over! One last chapter people!**

**What is Dooku's evil plan? Will the Jedi face off against their respective enemies? Will the Jedi walk into Dooku's trap? Will Ord Ibanna be free? What world had Grievous taken, so important that it may require the abandoning of a battlefront?**

**All will be revealed next chapter, which I'll hopefully start soon! **

**Until then, please read, review and vote!**

**Bye for now!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars**

5

**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Synthes**

**Status: Liberated**

Luminara pondered the layout of Dooku's HQ. Meant as a private retreat for the excessively rich, Dooku had secreted himself with his allies on top of the platform, in the top penthouse sweet. The rest of the area was made up of showrooms, stadia, shops and leisure clubs. But, due to the design of the place, there would be a lot of droids to deal with. However, for a change, she had a good feeling about this one.

"It shouldn't be that difficult. While we wont get anywhere near the private landing pad, all we'll need to do is send an ARC squadron to take out the anti landing cannons and we'll be in." Luminara said happily.

Shaak Ti nodded to herself.

"Quite. As soon as the weapons are down, Luminara and I will arrive with the attack force and set down. We'll fight our way through the enemy, and then go for Dooku and company."

"As soon as I wipe out the cannons, I will land and join you. Gaven can support me on the ground, and Jag can command in the air. I'll link with you two and we can go after the Force users." Plo said.

Gaven tapped the console.

"What about reinforcements for Dooku?" he asked worriedly.

Luminara pouted.

"Hopefully, we wont get any nasty surprises, and if we do, it could mean our end. We can only hold a small force in reserve if we want to keep law and order in the cities we've already liberated. The rest of our troops are too spread out. We'll just have to hope we aren't surprised."

Dice sighed.

"Well, it's a plan. Let's just hope Dooku doesn't surprise us. Can you three take them?" he asked sceptically.

Luminara smiled.

"Easily."

"Then we're in business. Let's go." Plo said.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Dooku's HQ**

**Status: Waiting**

"They're coming. I can feel it." Ventress purred.

"And Skorr is en route. The trap will soon be sprung. And then, the Jedi die." Bulq said happily.

Dooku nodded.

"Prepare yourselves." he said.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, city of Synthes**

**Status: Marshalling**

Plo pulled on his lightsaber gauntlet. He had a feeling he'd be needing it in the battle to come. He got into his fighter and watched as Shaak Ti came running to him.

"Be careful." she said, kissing his forehead.

"You too my dear. It'd be a poor lookout if you were killed by Dooku in a rematch." he cautioned.

She shot him a withering glare.

"Alright, you wont be killed. Be careful though."

"Arent I always?" she asked with a wink and dashed off.

Plo shut the cockpit and revved his fighter. The final battle was about to begin.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Dooku's HQ**

**Status: Under attack**

Plo and his squadron of fighters shot in hard and low, lasers firing at the swirling vulture droids. The droid fighters detached from the repulsor platform, and sped out from the hangars.

"All fighters squadrons, begin to converge." Plo ordered.

The three anti-landing cannons were firing away, trying to smash the attacking fighters. Plo and Jag pulled over and fired a missile each. The first cannon was smashed apart, leaving one of the three landing platforms open.

"Commander Gaven, you are free to land your forces." Plo said.

"Acknowledged General."

Plo flipped his fighter around, then reversed its throttle to bring it to a sharp stop in front of the second cannon. The cannon moved too sluggishly to help itself, and Plo fired. The second cannon was down.

"Shaak Ti, you may start your landing."

"Thank you Master Koon."

Jag then shot past, his cannons blazing and two missiles firing, destroying the final cannon.

"Luminara, you are free to go."

"Understood."

"Excellent. Jag, you have command. Prepare for battle all ground forces." Plo said, and span his fighter to Gaven's landing pad, where his troops were already dislodging from the landing gunships.

Leaping out, his saber lit, Plo dashed to the front of his troops.

"I'm here." he said.

"General. We're ready to begin." Gaven reported, as the other two assault forces sped in and started letting troops out.

"Then let us go. Call in the ATRTs. Here we go." Plo said, and they rushed at the battle droids.

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Dooku's HQ**

**Status: Under attack**

Dooku watched impassively as the Jedi forces started their assault. ATRTs were landed, and they walkers dashed into the fray, firing at the marshalling battle droids.

"Come to us Jedi." he whispered.

"Master, Skorr has arrived in system. He will be here in ten minutes." Ventress reported.

"Very good. Very good."

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**Location: Ord Ibanna, Dooku's HQ**

**Status: Under attack**

Shaak Ti flipped over her clones to land in the centre of a squad of battle droids, spinning around to slice them into several parts. Two destroyers were rolling towards her, and she grabbed them in a Force grip and sent them over the edge of the platform.

"General, they're brining in cannons!" Cueball yelled.

She frowned.

"Cueball, spread your men out so one blast doesn't get everyone killed. Helix formation. I will deal with the cannons." she said.

As the clones spread out, Shaak Ti immersed herself in battle, blaster bolts firing all around her as she pushed onward. Spider droids blasted at her with their laser cannons. Throwing her lightsaber, Shaak Ti cut the legs out from under them as she somersaulted to catch her blade. She then kicked a SBD in the chest, then slashed at it as it bent backwards. Two more were rushing at her, their wrist launchers firing. Shaak Ti used the Force to send the missiles in another direction, crashing into another squad of battle droids.

Three destroyer droids revealed themselves from the smoke, and she dashed at them, cleaving two in half before they got their shields up, and then Force pushing the other rolling into more battle droids. She was near the cannons.

Commando droids then arrived, firing sniper rounds at her. Doing a series of acrobatics, including a highly ambitious split, especially for that time of the day, she got to the droids and wrecked the squad. She then flipped over to the first cannon and cleaved it off as the droid tried to fire. The blast blew her forward, the momentum allowing her to decapitate the droid firing the second cannon. She then sliced the legs out from under the cannon. She then darted underneath the other, ripping up the undercarriage with her saber so that it crashed to the ground.

The immediate worry to her troops over, she was the walkers approach, their laser cannons firing at the E-webs mounted on top of the smaller buildings. On top of one, Luminara was slicing into a squad of battle droids. Luminara finished the droids then leapt from the building, cutting through the cannon of an AAT as she did so. She then immersed herself in Soresu, cutting her way up to Shaak Ti, who was holding off a newly arrived wave of battle droids.

"Miss me?" she asked brightly, thirding a destroyer droid.

"Not really." Shaak Ti said cheekily, stabbing right through two battle droids.

"What's our next move?" she asked.

"Wait for Plo to get here, then we go upwards." she said.

A wave of four STAPs were approaching, as were a squad of destroyers.

"We're in trouble." Luminara said worriedly.

"Nonsense." Shaak Ti said confidently.

The STAPs suddenly crashed into the wall, and Plo leapt up to take their place.

"See?" she asked, and they proceeded to cut apart the battle droids.

"Ready?"

"Of course."

There was suddenly a deafening sound, as a cannon overhead fired at the massing Republic troops, who had clearly taken the ground level.

"Crap. They have cannons all the way up!" Plo yelled in dismay.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Luminara asked, smiling.

"That our quarry is at the top, and those damn cannons are shooting our troops and are in the way, and that if they met an accident, things would be much easier? Then yes."

Plo nodded, and the three began leaping up the tiers of the apartment building, heading for the penthouse at the top of the pyramidal structure.

Plo leapt up to the first tier, and lit his gauntlet, the two lightsaber beams joining the one in his hand. He landed in between two cannons, and sliced the legs out, so that the heavy machines lost their balance and plummeted off the tier. He then blasted the other with a Force push strong enough to wrench the firing mechanism. The droid attempted to fire at the clones who were beginning to ascend, and the cannon blew up. Plo chuckled and leapt to the fourth tier.

Shaak Ti landed on top of one of the cannons on the second tier, and deflected a flurry of blaster fire back at the guarding droids. She then threw her lightsaber, cutting a chunk of permacrete out from under one cannon, sending it toppling off the building. She caught her lightsaber as SBDs arrived and fired their missiles, and she deflected them into the second cannon. She then jumped onto the droid operating the cannon she was on, slicing it in two, and then setting it to walk forward so that it too fell to its death. She then grinned, her work finished, and sprang to the fifth tier.

Luminara landed on the third tier, and grinned, noticing the absence of guards. She lit her lightsaber, stuck it into the ground and ran in a semicircle around the cannons. Overcome with the stress of having three heavy cannons on top, the chunk she had cut ripped away and the cannons followed it. Her job done, she proceeded to the sixth tier.

Plo landed beside the first cannon. Not wanting to waste anymore time, he reached out with the Force. Aware of the approaching battle droids from all directions, he took a deep breath, lifted the cannon up, and blasted it with the Force. Droids fell like raindrops from the tier, and the cannons followed. Plo then flipped up to his last tier.

Shaak Ti came onto her next tier, and was greeted by a storm of blasterfire.

"I hate droids." she growled, and leapt at them, her lightsaber cleaving them apart as she proceeded along the tier.

The cannons continued to fire down at the ascending clones, and she needed to stop it fast, as each direct hit caused a lot of casualties. Smiling, she jumped on top of one cannon and took out its rotating joints. She then disposed of the droid controller, turned the cannon around and fired, the screech of strained metal pleasant to her ears. The blast shattered the first cannon, and the second tried to move away, only to fall from the tier. She then sent the cannon forward and leapt out as it fell.

Luminara arrived at her tier, the sounds of the battle far below, on each of the lower tiers of the apartment block fading. Luminara wasted no time, firing a ball of Force energy, wrecking the first cannon. Jumping over the wreckage, she arrived in the shocked squad of guardian SBDs and cleaved them in two. She then gathered the shards of metal with the Force and sent it hurtling into the fluid deposit of the cannon. Unable to light the cannon shells, it was useless. She jumped over the last cannon, and cut the fuel cell so that the cannon exploded. One left.

Plo smiled to himself as he got to his last tier. There were only two cannons here due to the small size of the tier. He noticed that they were anchored to the wall with strong steel cables, as the tiers were now too small to support them. Slightly put out by the lack of challenge, he ran at the cables, his gauntlet sabres slicing them and sending the cannons hurtling to their doom. He then went for the penthouse.

Shaak Ti's final tier also only had two. Due to the smallness of the tier, they were both far too close together. She grinned and dropped a thermal detonator as she hurtled past. The blast lit their ammo reserves, and the cannons were gone.

Luminara never even bothered to stop on her way up, and sliced the cannon's nuzzle off as she cut it off. The cannon blew up behind her and she landed on top of the penthouse.

The three Jedi, pleased with their work, nodded grimly to each other and stepped through the gossamer curtains, to see the three Dark siders.

"Welcome my friends. You've done well to get here." Dooku purred.

"Count Dooku." Shaak Ti growled, raising her lightsaber.

He gave her a courteous smile, then lit his lightsaber, twirling it in the Makashi salute, and he moved forward, ready to duel.

"Luminara Unduli. You owe me a death." Ventress purred,

Luminara smiled.

"You never beat me before, you will not beat me now. I'm far better than you are now." she said, raising her saber horizontally over her head.

Ventress gave a slight, evil smile and lit her two lightsabers.

"Let's see you call on the Force when you are in pieces on the floor Jedi." she challenged and moved at Luminara.

"Master Plo Koon. I am a true master of Vaapad. If not even your vaunted Mace Windu could defeat me, you will not do so." Bulq promised.

Plo lit his three blades.

"We shall see about that Sora Bulq. You will pay for your many crimes." he promised.

Sora grinned and lit his two blades.

"Prepare to become one with the Force Plo Koon."

"I say the same to you." Plo said, and moved at him.

Then, the duels began.

Plo lunged with his gauntlet, forcing Bulq onto the defensive. Plo immersed himself in Form V, and the fight was on. Bulq swung his lightsaber at him, and Plo caught the swings with his lightsaber, before twisting around and lunging with his gauntlets. Bulq hissed and flipped backwards, firing a Force push at his adversary. Plo dashed at the Dark Jedi, who wielded his blades high, and swept down at him, preventing his charge. Plo caught the heavy handed blow on his gauntlet, and slashed upward with his lightsaber. Bulq blocked his swing, and Plo used this momentary respite to blast Bulq with a Force push.

"You fight well Plo Koon. But you are not a match for my power."

"We'll just see shall we?"

Bulq charged at Plo, his sabers swinging. Plo caught them on a glancing blow, sliding out of harm's way, and burling his saber around to cleave at Bulq's head. Bulq kicked Plo in the chin, and the Kel Dor staggered back, as the Weequay stabbed at his unguarded chest. Plo grabbed some shards of glass with the Force and hurled them at Bulq. Bulq sprang over the attack, but Plo was on him again, his gauntlet knocking his two sabers out of action while his lightsaber sliced towards his stomach. Bulq snarled and erected a Force shield as the blade came at him. The impact sent Plo staggering off, and Bulq then sprang, growling savagely, determined to quarter the Jedi Master. Plo was ready, raising his gauntlet to stop one attack and then catching the other with his saber. Plo then jumped over his opponent, cutting downwards while he did so. Bulq raised his blade to stop his shoulder being cleaved, and Plo kicked down at him, knocking the wind from the Acolyte and speeding at him, unleashing a barrage of minute attacks. Bulq span his sabers in several circles, fending off the various attacks, and then blasted Plo with a Force push, knocking the master for six. Bulq sensed victory and dashed at him, raising his lightsabers to decapitate the Jedi Master. Plo caught the attack on his gauntlet, and then gathered the Force to him, and let loose with his yellow Electric Judgement. The yellow bolts of lightning caught a surprised Bulq in the chest and sent the Dark Jedi hurtling across the room, and smashing through a glass table.

Luminara blocked Ventress' first savage swing, moving fluidly out of harms way, all the while holding Ventress' two blades off. Ventress pulled her blades off and swung with the two. Luminara caught the two blades on her own, then whirled the saber lock around, blasting Ventress with the Force as she did so. The assassin snarled, then spiralled at Luminara, her blades cyclones of energy as she tried to take Luminara's head off. Luminara deflected one blade, then danced around to it's safe side, avoiding the other one's reach. Leaping up, she kicked Ventress in the chest, and the Dark Jedi stumbled. Luminara sensed her advantage and rushed her enemy. Her moves graceful and fluid, Luminara unleashed an offensive on Ventress. Her blade came from all directions, and Ventress started to look worried, and she slowly started to fall back. Luminara then knelt to the floor, and thrusted upward. Ventress was so surprised by this move that she barely moved out of the way in time. Luminara's blade nicked her skin, and Ventress gave an animal roar of rage, and swung her lightsabers to cut Luminara in two. Luminara cart-wheeled out of the way, landing with her feet spread wide as she did so. Ventress rushed her, her lightsabers cutting down at her. Luminara caught the enraged attack, then straightened and flipped over Ventress, kicking her in the back. Ventress roared and turned, her lightsabers coming at Luminara diagonally. The Jedi reversed her blade to catch the assault, then ducked, swinging her foot out as she did so, knocking Ventress from her feet. Ventress cursed as she thudded down, then threw her saber. Luminara jumped over the attack and fell back, allowing Ventress to get to her feet. The Dark Jedi pounced at her, and Luminara caught the attack, and steadily gave ground until they were beside the fire extinguishers in the apartment. Luminara ducked at another swing, and Ventress' blade cut the canisters, sending white foam spraying into her face.

"Sorry, had to get you back for blinding me last time." Luminara said and attacked, her lightsaber coming at Ventress from above.

"Jedi, even if I were totally blind, I could still kill you." Ventress said.

"Indeed? Your form, as I said before, is amateurish and sloppy. You will find no victory here."

Luminara then ran around Ventress, her blade cutting into the floor as Ventress tried to clear her vision. Completing her circle, Luminara watched cheerily as Ventress noticed she was sinking into the apartment below and leapt. Luminara seized her chance, and blasted the assassin with a massive Force push. Ventress crashed into the back balcony window and groaned.

Shaak Ti easily caught the blow Dooku sent her way.

"I must compliment you on your saber skills my dear lady. Many have atrophied. Yours have not."

Shaak Ti lunged at Dooku, who caught the attack on his blade. Shaak Ti did the splits, then rolled from his next swing, leaping up and meeting his swipe with a block.

"Wasting is the first step to ill use, and then ill use begets laziness. Then you become a slob."

Dooku smiled slightly.

"Ah yes, the teachings of Master Rozza. They will not help you."

Shaak Ti caught another elegant swing on her lightsaber.

"I've defeated you before Dooku. You wont escape."

Dooku smiled.

"It is you who will not escape."

The duel then truly began. Shaak Ti flipped over Dooku, catching his blade with her own as she did so. She swung it high to clear it, reversing her grip to bring it in a sharp uppercut. Dooku jumped over her, and she dashed away from the attack, turning to meet his next attack, catching it on her saber. She grimaced as Dooku forced her blade backward. For an old fart, he certainly was strong.

She then kicked at him, and as he staggered back she stabbed down at him, catching his shoulder with the edge of her blade. Dooku nodded in approval, then got right back up again, swinging his saber. Shaak Ti blocked it and turned with the blade, reversing it and stabbing down at the Count. Dooku caught the blow and jumped, his blade crashing into hers several times as he flipped over her. As he landed she took his feet out from under him. Dooku thudded down, rolled over and blasted a jet of Force lightning at her, then leapt up as she caught the blast on her blade. She crashed her blade into his, and the Sith Lord took several steps forward, and she had to retreat. She unleashed a wave of defensive strokes, preventing Dooku's lunges, strikes and stabs from getting through. Dooku then took a step back, allowing him to swing his blade in a wide arc. Shaak Ti caught the attack and flipped over him, as he came at her again. She turned her blade around in her hand, then performed a series of Makashi manoeuvres. Dooku easily met them, as she wished. She then used the Force to throw things off the walls at her opponent. Dooku twirled his blade around him in a defensive shell, stopping the projectiles. Shaak Ti then knelt on the floor, swiping up at him. Dooku flipped over before it hit and blasted her with a Force push. As she skidded to a stop, he dashed at her, his blade up high. She prevented his attack, and turned, and realised her mistake, as he stroked his blade off hers and sliced a strip of flesh from her arm. She swore, and finished her spiral, to see Dooku preparing to knock her blade form her hand to finish her off.

"Got you." she whispered.

Dooku swung his blade, and she turned off her lightsaber. Dooku's face was full of shock as his blade passed through air harmlessly in front of her, and he went to far, his momentum carrying him further. She then quickly ignited her blade, and lunged. Her blade pierced his upper arm, and he swore in pain. Victory was near. Dooku staggered back, and came at her, his blade high. Shaak Ti caught it, and then span over him, her saber going with her. Dooku threw his blade over his head in defence. Then, she got her opening. Working her blade under his as she travelled, she sent it spiralling away. Dooku turned in surprise as she landed, and she grinned, before smacking him with a massive Force blow.

The three Dark Jedi were cast down at the same time, and the Jedi were triumphant.

"It's over Dooku. You and your friends are finished." Shaak Ti said, her blade angling at his chest.

The other two also had their opponents at their mercy.

"On the contrary my dear, it is you who are finished." Dooku said with an evil smile.

He pointed out of the balcony window, and she turned to see an assault force of five landers coming in to land.

"Unless I'm much mistaken, you don't have the forces to face off another two armies worth of droids do you?" Dooku asked.

She looked at Plo and Luminara in alarm. They were trapped. The droid would overrun the clones, and they'd be captured or killed.

"Skorr will land any second. And then, it will truly be over." Dooku said as he and his allies got to their feet.

The Jedi took several steps back, defeat clawing at them.

"What do we do?" Plo asked as the Dark Jedi grinned wickedly and summoned their blades back.

"We cant evacuate and our reinforcements wont save us. We're finished." Luminara said.

Then, inexplicably, Shaak Ti beamed.

"Dooku, I will accept your surrender now." she said.

"What!? You seem to be unable to count Shaak Ti. My forces have you outnumbered."

"Indeed?" she asked coyly.

Outside the landers were about to land. The clones far below were terrified as the ships carrying their doom came close to landing. Then, one was blown up.

"What!?" Dooku demanded.

At that second, turbolaser blasts emerged from the cloud bank as hundreds of new gunships, fighters and rocket troopers descended from a new Star Destroyer.

"Anakin!" Shaak Ti said happily.

"SKYWALKER!" Dooku yelled in rage.

The _Resolute _was firing away, and another two landers were destroyed. Skorr's image suddenly flickered to life.

"Master! I have to retreat!" he yelled.

The holo flickered out as a barrage of cannon fire hit his ship, and the other lander died. Skorr's ship then hurtled skywards as Anakin's destroyer pumped cannon fire into the swarming vulture droids. Gunships were landing across the ci9ty.

"It matters not! We are still victorious Shaak Ti!"

She grinned.

"Whatever foul trick you've pulled will pale in comparison to your capture. Surrender!" she said.

The three leapt at them with such ferocity that only Plo could get his blades up in time. Ventress swung her blades at Luminara, only to have them met by another green blade.

"Who!?" Ventress hissed.

"Hello Ventress." Ahsoka said cockily, and both she and Luminara lunged at the assassin.

Dooku swung his blade at Shaak Ti's head.

Then, it abruptly stopped, met by a blue blade that wasn't hers.

"Skywalker!" Dooku cursed.

"You are under arrest Count." Anakin growled.

With that the three Dark Jedi were forced back. Ventress was totally thrown by Ahsoka's unexpected appearance, and she was rapidly losing ground. Bulq was being held off by Plo, and was running out of room to manoeuvre. And Anakin and Shaak Ti had Dooku on the run. The three dark siders got to the balcony and roared in fury.

"You may have outdone us this time Jedi, but you have lost overall!"

They then flipped over the balcony, and got to their landing pads. They were then met by a barrage of laser fire from waiting clones. The Jedi sprang after them, and Dooku saw that if he didn't leave soon, he wouldn't leave at all.

"Ventress, order the evacuation!" he snapped.

Ventress was already in her fighter, and it shot skyward, away from harm. Bulq parried a few blows from Plo and Ahsoka, before leaping to his already floating ship, allowing the ramp to close and he too disappeared.

"We've won Count. Give it up." Shaak Ti said as she swung at him.

Dooku snarled as he narrowly missed her attack and blocked Anakin's.

"You Jedi are nothing. You will soon learn of your failure."

He then blasted Anakin with a jet of Force lightning.

"Anakin!" Shaak Ti cried, and reached out to save him with the Force before the blast took him off the platform to his death.

That was all Dooku needed as he sprang to his ship, ran up the ramp, and then vanished, as the ship headed for space.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Location: Ord Ibanna**

**Status: Liberated**

"It's good to see you Anakin. You saved our necks." Shaak Ti said fondly as clones cleared up the abandoned and wrecked droids.

"It was nothing master. And you saved me, so I guess we're even." Anakin said lightly.

Ahsoka, Plo and Luminara trotted up, as did Cueball.

"General Ti, the battle's over. The droids took what they could and ran. The ones that are left are either destroyed or deactivated."

"Excellent commander."

"and, we also have a bit of good news."

"Oh?"

"We got a tracer on Bulq's ship before they arrived. We would have placed one on Dooku's ship, but they were running from you, but still…"

"You have a tracer on Bulq's ship?"

"Yes mam. And we have a rough idea of where he's going. So, we've asked Generals Gravix, Darté and Bothu to pursue."

"Excellent Cueball. Well done. Tell the governor I will see him forthwith."

Cueball saluted and left.

"Koh-to-yah, Master Skywalker."

"Koh-to-ya Master Koon." Anakin said, shaking the master's hand.

"And hello to you too Ahsoka." Luminara said with a grin.

"Hello Master Luminara." Ahsoka said happily.

"Well Anakin, what brings you here?" Shaak Ti asked.

Anakin sighed sadly.

"Aside from to save your necks, orders. I was sent here to give you them."

Plo raised his eyebrow.

"Oh yes? Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"General Grievous has taken Rothana. While you were chasing Dooku here, he took the planet."

Shaak Ti swore.

"How did that happen?" she demanded furiously.

"Well they were out of communication for repairs. Grievous found out and attacked. He's been there over a week, and he's converted all the walker factories to make battle droids. He's been using all the materials there to churn out a new droid army."

Luminara hissed in fury.

"Not only have we lost our principal walker producer, the Seps have gained a way of churning out millions of droids willy nilly." she grumbled.

Anakin nodded gravely.

"As you can imagine, we don't much like this. you're all to go to Rothana with me to liberate the planet." he said tiredly.

Luminara shook her head.

"Oh no. My troops are in need of a break Anakin."

Anakin looked uncomfortable.

"Master Rancisis said that too. But Master Windu said that we need all armies on deck to liberate the planet. You've been ordered there too." he said, looking sadly at her.

Luminara seethed.

"Mace and I are going to have a long chat." she swore under her breath.

"On the bright side, we get to go to Halfpoint Station on the way. You can get refitted there. And you can pick up the _Tranquillity_, which is fully armed and operational and outfitted once again."

This cheered her a little.

"Alright. What about the _Twilight_?" she asked.

"That's to join us as well. Master Rancisis promises reinforcements as soon as they're available." Anakin continued.

Shaak Ti sighed, and commed Cueball.

"Commander, we're on the move. Get all forces back to the ships. We have another battle to fight." she sighed.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news masters." Ahsoka said worriedly.

"It's not either of your faults. Grievous and Mace on the other hand…" Plo growled angrily.

The governor approached.

"Governor, I have reached a decision not to leave you a garrison. That way, they shouldnt have any desire to attack you again, not even for Tibanna."

The man sneered slightly, nodded and left.

"Pleasant chap." Anakin commented.

"He has reasons Anakin. We all do." she said.

Anakin nodded to Rex, and the Republic forces began to leave Ord Ibanna.

They had retaken Ord Ibanna, but the true battle, the one for Rothana, had just begun.

"Here we go again." Ahsoka said succinctly as Anakin put a hand on her shoulder.

Plo and Shaak Ti exchanged looks.

"Yes. Here we bloody go again." Shaak Ti muttered.

**The Battle of Ord Ibanna is now over!**

**Rothana, the builder of all of the Republic walkers for the war, is the world that the vile Generla Grievous had conquered. And now, Anakin, Ahsoka, Plo, Shaak Ti and Luminara are bound for the planet to liberate it from him.**

**Hope you enjoyed this story!**

**This slot of writing will now be taken up by...Digimon! Yes, that will be making a return!**

**But fear not, the other Clone Wars stories will continue, and as soon as they are finished, they will be replaced by other Clone Wars stories! There are many more where this came from!**

**Until next time then, please read, review and vote in the poll, as that will decide the enxt story. So far, it looks like the Ventress story, which is entitled: Clone Wars: Survival!**

**See you soon!**


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